Church Teaching on Homosexuality

[nikkoo]

**I teach the faith in a local Catholic High School. The Church says that people experience a same sex attraction through no fault of their own and that we are to avoid all forms of discrimination toward them. Is the Church saying that people may in fact, be born with a homosexual orientation or that it is more a product of how these people were raised? I know the Church calls everyone to the practice of chastity, but it seems to me that if the Church is leaning more toward the genetic/biological genesis of homosexuality, the teaching of the practice of chastity is somewhat compromised: i.e., Why should gay people remain chaste if God created them to be this way? I’m not homosexual myself, I just want to be able to present the Catholic Church’s teaching on this matter in the most authentic way possible.
Thanks!!

**

 

[goofyjim]

There is no compromise. The teaching is correct that some experience the attraction. But as long as they are not entertaining lustful thoughts or having sex they qualify for chastity. It is not so difficult. I experience the attraction but have never been in a relationship of any sort. I find abstinence easy and fulfilling.

 

[nikkoo]

Thanks for your personal testimony! But I need to ask you:is this something you were born with or something that resulted from the way you were brought up by your parents?

 

[goofyjim]

Thanks for your personal testimony! But I need to ask you:is this something you were born with or something that resulted from the way you were brought up by your parents?

Well I am not about to say my parents raised me to be homosexual. They raised me to be a faithful Catholic so maybe the attraction was inborn. It doesn’t make it proper or right to engage in the behavior anymore than anyone else can have sex outside of marriage. But the Church does not put an undue hardship on one to change the attraction. After all even St. Paul had some weakness that was never taken away. This was so he would have to rely on the power of Christ to save him and not his own.

 

[st_felicity]

Even if homosexuality is part of how a person is “born”–God created man and woman in perfection for one another. Sin warped our nature. Thus–God MADE no one gay, sin did it. God neither made man to die, or toil…but everyone experiences that warping of human nature. Same sex attraction is simply another effect of a sinful world and we are called to live as close to the perfection which God created us. For people with homosexual attraction, that means they avoid the occasions of sin and remain celebate. I commend you Jim, you seem very well balanced.

 

[goofyjim]

Even if homosexuality is part of how a person is “born”–God created man and woman in perfection for one another. Sin warped our nature. Thus–God MADE no one gay, sin did it. God neither made man to die, or toil…but everyone experiences that warping of human nature. Same sex attraction is simply another effect of a sinful world and we are called to live as close to the perfection which God created us. For people with homosexual attraction, that means they avoid the occasions of sin and remain celebate. I commend you Jim, you seem very well balanced.

Thank you. Unfortunately, there are two on these forums who don’t seem to think so. They believe anyone with the attraction are a threat to society. One has even gone so far as to call my claims to abstinence “suspect”. I’m not sure I can stay very charitable with these accusations but there is always confession if I slip.

 

[thistle]

**I teach the faith in a local Catholic High School. The Church says that people experience a same sex attraction through no fault of their own and that we are to avoid all forms of discrimination toward them. Is the Church saying that people may in fact, be born with a homosexual orientation or that it is more a product of how these people were raised? I know the Church calls everyone to the practice of chastity, but it seems to me that if the Church is leaning more toward the genetic/biological genesis of homosexuality, the teaching of the practice of chastity is somewhat compromised: i.e., Why should gay people remain chaste if God created them to be this way? I’m not homosexual myself, I just want to be able to present the Catholic Church’s teaching on this matter in the most authentic way possible.
Thanks!!

**

Nobody is born gay. There is absolutely no scientific evidence to even suggest there is a gay gene. Homosexuality comes about because of one or more of upbringing, environment, and choice.

 

[st_felicity]

Thank you. Unfortunately, there are two on these forums who don’t seem to think so. They believe anyone with the attraction are a threat to society. One has even gone so far as to call my claims to abstinence “suspect”. I’m not sure I can stay very charitable with these accusations but there is always confession if I slip.

If they are threatened by someone with same sex attraction, I’d suspect they are threatened by their own “attractions.”

Some people are tempted to drink, some are tempted to porn, or gossip, or anger…mortal sin is mortal sin… and you’re right…that is what our Sacrament of Reconcilliation is all about.

 

[st_felicity]

Nobody is born gay. There is absolutely no scientific evidence to even suggest there is a gay gene. Homosexuality comes about because of one or more of upbringing, environment, and choice.

There’s no concensus. Most studies suggests there are a variety of influences that “may” contribute to same sex attraction. That’s why it’s wise of the Church to take the stance it does–it doesn’t matter what “causes” it.

 

[nikkoo]

There is no compromise. The teaching is correct that some experience the attraction. But as long as they are not entertaining lustful thoughts or having sex they qualify for chastity. It is not so difficult. I experience the attraction but have never been in a relationship of any sort. I find abstinence easy and fulfilling.

Well, I also commend you Jim, and your testimony goes a long way to helping me present the Church’s teaching on this issue with confidence. I absolutely do not doubt that one can live chastely, especially as Catholics where we have the sacraments and the living and abiding presence and example of Christ himself.

 

[goofyjim]

Nobody is born gay. There is absolutely no scientific evidence to even suggest there is a gay gene. Homosexuality comes about because of one or more of upbringing, environment, and choice.

I was brought up in a Catholic home, Catholic schools, and I chose never to act out. Please explain how any of these three that you mentioned play into my attraction. Certainly I had no upbringing to say try being homosexual. And the environment was a healthy, suburban family who never even discussed the topic. While I chose to remain abstinent I did not choose the attraction. There are more factors to explain it than just genes. Noone has ever explored chromosomal theories but there are those who have an extra chromosome. I have already stated my agreement that it is immoral behavior but the jury is still out on whether or not one is born with the attraction.

 

[nikkoo]

Excellent! Thank-you for that insightful theological analysis of this issue: precisely what I was looking for actually! The homosexual orientation could simply be a more observable/empirical form of the effects of original sin which every human being is born into. I never really thought of it like that before! From an objective viewpoint, the complementarity of man and woman sexual relationships is obviously not present in man/man or woman/woman sexual relationships. I think Pope John Paul’s Theology of The Body goes into this as well.

 

[nikkoo]

Thank you. Unfortunately, there are two on these forums who don’t seem to think so. They believe anyone with the attraction are a threat to society. One has even gone so far as to call my claims to abstinence “suspect”. I’m not sure I can stay very charitable with these accusations but there is always confession if I slip.

Jim:
I think people fear what they don’t understand and that may explain why some people find your story suspect. I don’t find your story suspect in the least, probably because I know the power prayer (rosary, liturgy of the hours, lectio divina) and the Eucharist and Confession can have in a person’s life. We are truly blessed to be able to encounter Christ in these ways as Catholics. Even today, Christ has the power ( if we’ll let Him)to change and transform our minds and hearts! I think God may be asking you to forgive for these people, please consider praying for them.

 

[st_felicity]

Jim:
I think people fear what they don’t understand and that may explain why some people find your story suspect. I don’t find your story suspect in the least, probably because I know the power prayer (rosary, liturgy of the hours, lectio divina) and the Eucharist and Confession can have in a person’s life. We are truly blessed to be able to encounter Christ in these ways as Catholics. Even today, Christ has the power ( if we’ll let Him)to change and transform our minds and hearts! I think God may be asking you to forgive for these people, please consider praying for them.

See now …that’s so…gooood.

 

[nikkoo]

See now …that’s so…gooood.

Thanks for your confirmation! People sometimes dream about how great it would have been to be able to have lived during the time of the apostles, but the truth of the matter is that we are just as close to Christ as the first apostles, and in some ways actually closer since we are heirs to 2000 years of theological reflection, AND He is still among us in the Eucharist. The apostles didn’t seem to really understand who Jesus was until Pentecost.Because God became man in Jesus, Who rose from the dead, and gave us the Holy Spirit, we still have access to the power of God in Jesus. The real question is: Do we have the faith in Jesus which He required of us in order to experience this power as the Kingdom of God among us?

 

[blessedtoo]

Why should gay people remain chaste if God created them to be this way?

Hi Nikko! God bless you for seeking the truth as you fulfill your vocation to teach proper Catholic doctrine!

The Church does not teach science and biology so holds no doctrine on the origin of SSA. However, the inclination itself is considered intrinsically disordered in the same way that we would consider any departure from normalcy disordered. Children born with Down’s Syndrome are not created this way by God. Nor are the blind, or the deaf, or the alcoholics. Yet these are all disorders because they are departures from the norm. So it is with SSA. God did not create people homosexual. While at some point it may be proven that there is a genetic or biochemical origin for this inclination, that would still not “normalize” it. Whatever gene or chemical might be found as the culprit would still be considered an anomaly. Does that help?

 

[nikkoo]

Hello:

Thank you for your (name removed by moderator)ut ! I appreciate your insights, please pray for me>.

 

[blessedtoo]

Hello:

Thank you for your (name removed by moderator)ut ! I appreciate your insights, please pray for me>.

You may depend on it!

 

[cherubim]

Hi all,

Nobody is born gay(people who claim it is is a blasphemer),but as soon as you know how to distinguish between good and bad you’re able to sin as we inherit Adam’s sin.
And about why homosexuality does exist we can read from the letters of St.Paul to Romans : Rome 1:18-32

Beatus vir qui timet Dominum - Blessed the man who fears God

 

[nikkoo]

Hi all,

Nobody is born gay(people who claim it is is a blasphemer),but as soon as you know how to distinguish between good and bad you’re able to sin as we inherit Adam’s sin.
And about why homosexuality does exist we can read from the letters of St.Paul to Romans : Rome 1:18-32

Beatus vir qui timet Dominum - Blessed the man who fears God

Hi!
Thanks for you (name removed by moderator)ut and the verse of scripture (we can never have too much if that:thumbsup: )